Hey, David Tyree. Mario Manningham’s got his own sensational Super Bowl highlight.
The Giants wide receiver made a remarkable grab down the left sideline with 3:39 left and New York trailing 17-15. Eli Manning zipped a long pass toward Manningham, who was in double coverage but caught the 38-yard heave with his fingertips, got both feet down and brought the ball into his chest as he was being hit.
The play was ruled a catch, but New England coach Bill Belichick _ standing right in front of where Manningham landed _ challenged the call.
The officials upheld the call, and the Patriots have to be thinking about Tyree’s incredible helmet-pinning grab on the Giants’ Super Bowl-winning touchdown drive in Arizona four years ago.
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The Giants are running out of tight ends.
First, Travis Beckum. Now, Jake Ballard.
New York lost their top two tight ends to injuries, with Bear Pascoe the only remaining player at the position.
Beckum tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee early in the second quarter at the Super Bowl. Ballard sprained his left knee in the fourth quarter.
By the way, New England’s big tight end, Rob Gronkowski, has just two catches for 26 yards. His status was uncertain the past two weeks with a high left ankle sprain.
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Tom Coughlin is fired up.
And for good reason.
The New York Giants coach was livid when officials didn’t call a flag on New England’s Sterling Moore, who _ as TV replays clearly showed _ had his left hand on Mario Manningham’s left shoulder with his right arm stretched out over the Giants receiver’s right shoulder as Eli Manning’s pass came zipping at him.
The throw fell incomplete in third-and-10 from the Patriots 43 midway through the fourth quarter. The Giants were forced to punt as Coughlin barked at the officials from the sideline for not calling a pass interference penalty.
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Buckle up.
With the way these teams are playing, we could be in for another fantastic final 15 minutes.
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